New Delhi, Sep 22: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan on Monday highlighted the changing nature of modern warfare driven by convergence across kinetic and non-kinetic domains which, he said, necessitated advanced and integrated technological solutions.

CDS Gen Chauhan was addressing a tri-services symposium here, aiming to synergise the services-academia research and development ecosystem for the development of niche technologies critical to national defence.

He emphasised the critical role of academia, start-ups and industry in developing indigenous capabilities across platforms, weapons, networks and doctrines to meet future operational demand, the defence ministry said in a statement.

He also called for a whole-of-nation approach, urging academia to scale innovation and commit to making India a “global leader in next-generation defence technologies”.

In his address, the CDS highlighted the changing nature of modern warfare, driven by convergence across kinetic and non-kinetic domains, necessitating advanced and integrated technological solutions, it said.

The inaugural edition of the Tri-Services Academia Technology Symposium (T-SATS) was held at the Manekshaw Centre at Delhi Cantonment, synergising the services-academia R&D ecosystem for development of niche and futuristic technologies tailored for the Indian armed forces, the ministry said.

The symposium was inaugurated by Gen Chauhan.

The event witnessed participation from directors and heads of departments of academic and premier R&D institutions, along with students from 62 institutes including IISc, IITs, IIITs and private technology institutes.

The CDS also inaugurated a technology exhibition showcasing 43 selected innovative exhibits by academia.

“These innovations were evaluated by subject matter experts from various technology domains of the three services for their potential military applications. Projects showing promise will be considered for R&D collaboration and funding support in future,” it said.

A major highlight of the day was a series of 95 structured one-on-one meetings between academic innovators and service representatives. These closed-door sessions provided a platform for academia to pitch R&D proposals and receive strategic guidance on converting ideas into military-use cases, fostering a collaborative and results-oriented environment, the statement said.

These meetings will continue on Tuesday.

Also, MoUs were signed with various academic institutes, including Ajeenkya DY Patil University, Gujarat National Law University, Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), MS Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Nirma University, Oriental Institute of Science and Technology, Rashtriya Raksha University and National Research Development Corporation, it said.

Themed ‘Vivek va Anusandhan se Vijay’ or ‘victory through wisdom and research’, the symposium, a first of its kind, is a significant step towards fostering deeper integration between academic research capabilities and defence technology requirements, the ministry said.

By connecting the armed forces with the vast untapped intellectual and technical capital within Indian academia, T-SATS aims to build a “sustainable and strategic partnership to co-create future-ready solutions for national security,” it said.

New Delhi, Sep 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday highlighted the sweeping and upbeat coverage given in newspapers to the reduced GST rates to underscore the nationwide buzz it has created.

“From markets to households, GST Bachat Utsav brings a festive buzz, ensuring lower costs and brighter smiles in every home,” Modi said on X, posting pictures of the front page of leading Hindi and English dailies.

Modi had addressed the nation on Sunday on the eve of the new GST rates roll-out from the first day of Navratri, lauding it as the “GST bachat utsav” for shoppers as prices of a wide array of items have gone down.

Sharing a video of his interaction with traders during his visit to Arunachal Pradesh, he asserted that it is a strong reflection of why India is so optimistic about the “GST Bachat Utsav”.

“Today, next-generation GST reforms have been implemented across the country, and the GST ‘Bachat Utsav’ has begun. During the season of festivals, the people have received a double bonanza,” he said at a rally at Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar.

“The GST reforms will reduce kitchen budget, helping women,” the prime minister said.

New Delhi, Sep 22: Indian armed forces were given complete freedom to appropriately respond to the cowardly terror attack on innocent civilians in Pahalgam, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said.

Singh also said that India’s actions in response to the attack were “measured and non-escalatory.”

The defence minister made the remarks in an address to the Indian community at Rabat in Morocco on Sunday.

Singh is on a two-day visit to the North African country.

The defence minister reaffirmed that the armed forces were fully prepared and had been given complete freedom to respond after the cowardly attack on innocent Indians in Pahalgam, according to an official readout.

“We took action not based on religion but on deeds (Humne dharm dekh kar nahi, karm dekh kar maara hai),” Singh said, quoting the Ramcharitmanas to describe the nation’s firm yet restrained approach, it noted.

In response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan.

The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10.

The defence minister also highlighted the progress achieved by India in the last decade under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite geopolitical challenges, India has emerged as the fastest-growing major economy, and is poised to enter the top three soon, he said.

Singh highlighted India’s digital transformation, rapid strides in the knowledge economy, and the surge in startups from 18 unicorns a decade ago to 118 today.

Singh underlined the “remarkable growth” of India’s defence industry, which has achieved production worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore and defence exports exceeding Rs 23,000 crore to more than 100 countries.

The defence minister lauded the hard work, dedication, and honesty of the Indian community.

Singh’s visit to Morocco will also be the first-ever trip to that country by an Indian defence minister.

During the visit, he will hold a bilateral meeting with his Moroccan counterpart Abdeltif Loudiyi.

Following the talks, both sides are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of defence.

The MoU will provide for an institutional framework to expand and deepen bilateral defence engagement, including exchanges, training, and industrial linkages, officials said.

Ties between India and Morocco have gained momentum since King Mohammed VI met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 in India.